Former Speaker Andrew Romanoff announces his candidacy for the U.S. Senate in 2009 in Pueblo.

Gov. John Hickenlooper has ponied up $2,400 to help retire Andrew Romanoff’s congressional campaign debt, and he’s asking others to join in.

“Bipartisan leaders like Andrew don’t come around very often,” Hickenlooper says in his e-mail appeal. “We should let him know we appreciate all that he has done, and all he is doing, to make our world a better place.”

Romanoff, the former speaker of the House, sold his Wash Park home in 2010 to finance last-minute ads against U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet in the Democratic Senate primary. Romanoff lost and still is about $250,000 in debt.

“Andrew has championed causes we care about, including affordable housing, early childhood education, and mental health care,” Hickenlooper said. “And he is still at it, turning his considerable talent to the battle against global poverty.”

Former Lt. Jane Norton, who ran in the GOP senatorial primary in 2010, also ended up in debt, but the current figure was not immediately available. It was nearly half a million dollars in December.

Huck / Hick … whatever, made $20 million falsifying tax returns by using illegals, his conscience would be cleaner if he donated half to a Republican.

Anonymous

Not likely to give money to any Dem candidates until (a) there are more women candidates at the higher ranks and/or (b) men like Romanoff and Hickenlooper recognize parental leave boundaries on the marketplace.

I’d love to see the US avoid the traps of France and Spain where they patronize women rather than focusing on true gender equality. These guys get into power promising expensive social programs but fail to do the more economical and honest thing by developing policies that recognize the two earner/two parent family. Of course, the GoP excludes women altogether (except someone like Norton, who doesn’t identify as female), so they are not a viable option either. No wonder everything is so polarized.

Davidjohnson813

Why isn’t he run for one of the US congressional districts?

Davidjohnson813

Does Hick want taxpayers to bail out other loser candidates? What about Betsy Markey, John Salazar, Ken Buck, Jane Norton?

Anonymous

Too bad he doesn’t ”bail out”loser posters,seems you could use a few bucks to invest in an education.

Anonymous

The DSCC,DNC,and OFA should pay Andrews’ campaign debt-they caused it.If not for the meddling of the national Democratic party and their infusion of 4 million dollars for Wall Street darling Michael Bennet in the primary,Romanoff would have won both it and the general handily,without incurring any debt.Unlike Bennet who promptly started paying the banksters back by undercutting meaningful financial reform in Dodd/Frank from his position on the banking committee.

Joey Bunch has been a reporter for 28 years, including the last 12 at The Denver Post. For various newspapers he has covered the environment, water issues, politics, civil rights, sports and the casino industry.